... Improvements in Design Help Strengthen Total Ankle Replacements...ROSEMONT Ill. Sept. 2 -- Some form of total... When we started off the ankles we used in this country included just...Currently four designs are approved by the Food and DrugAdministrati...

ROSEMONT, Ill., Sept. 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Some form of total
ankle replacements (TAR), have been available to patients in the United
States since first arriving in the marketplace more than 30 years ago.
These implants have gone through several design evolution phases. A review
article published in the September 2008 issue of the Journal of the
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (http://www.jaaos.org/) discusses
the different types of total ankle replacement implants available now, both
in the United States and abroad, and explains how vast improvements in
their design are helping to advance the field and bring relief to patients.

"When we started off, the ankles we used in this country included just
two components and we had to use bone cement to fix them and basically they
all failed," said Andrea Cracchiolo, MD, lead author of the article and
Director of the Adult Foot and Ankle section at UCLA Medical Center. "The
difference between the first generation implants and those today is that
you don't need to use bone cement. The surfaces are such that the bone will
grow into the joint much like in total hip replacement."

Currently, four designs are approved by the Food and Drug
Administration for use in the United States. All are two-component designs
which are considered fixed implants. In many countries outside of the
United States, surgeons have been using three-component ankles for several
years. According to Dr. Cracchiolo, a three-component ankle may allow for
more movement in the joint and may also be easier for orthopaedic surgeons
to implant. Here in the U.S. a three-component device has been recommended
for approval by the Food and Drug Administration. However, it could be late
2008 or longer before it will be made available to U.S. patients.

While total ankle replacement offers patients more mobility and
movement compared to the option of fusion to repair the joint, not every
patient is an ideal candidate. According to Dr. Cracchiolo, patients need a
thorough evaluation from a qualified orthopaedic surgeon who feels the
procedure may be appropriate. "Some patients have such deformity of the
ankle or have an ankle that is so unstable that total ankle replacement is
not indicated," explains Cracchiolo.

Signs that you may be a candidate for a total ankle replacement include:

-- Having a destroyed ankle, meaning the surfaces of the ankle are gone

-- The condition of your ankle is interfering with daily activities and

causing pain

Total ankle replacements can offer patients:

-- Better motion of the ankle compared to fusion

-- Protection in the small joints below and in front of the ankle from

developing arthritis

-- Relief of ankle pain

Currently, there are about 20 total ankle replacement implants
worldwide that are either available or in the final stages of design.
However the number of clinical studies involving such implants has been
limited. Dr. Cracchiolo says, "Great care must go in to selecting not only
the ideal patient, but also the implant that should be used. We need more
long-term follow up clinical studies on implants here in the U.S. In
addition, if patients are young, they should understand that the ankle
replacement, just like the hip and knee, is not going to last a life time."

"As improvements in design continue to evolve, the goal is to develop
total ankle replacements that are comparable to hips and knees in terms of
quality and longevity," noted Dr. Cracchiolo.

Disclosure: Dr. Andrea Cracchiolo received no compensation for this
review article and does not own stock in a commercial company or
institution related directly or indirectly to the subject of this article.
James K. DeOrio, MD, orthopaedic surgeon at Duke University, co-authored
this review study.

(Date:12/8/2016)... CITY , Dec. 8, 2016 ... US patents for improving the accuracy, reproducibility and ... images in long and small bone orthopaedic applications. ... approach to creating personalized orthopaedic restorations based on ... personalized orthopaedic restorations, the company harnesses the world,s ...

(Date:12/8/2016)... Dec. 8, 2016 A new study by a ... use of opioid therapy to treat chronic pain is ... of more harmful consequences, including death. Palliative ... Zankhana Mehta , M.D., authored the study which ... opioid therapy. The study was published in the December ...

(Date:12/8/2016)... 2016 Information products and services provider ... Scopus , the world,s largest abstract and citation database of ... for journals from over 5,000 publishers. The new set of metrics ... to and when to adjust a journal,s editorial strategy. ... , , ...

(Date:12/8/2016)... ... 2016 , ... STAT courier is pleased to announce that due to customer ... are expanding their presence in Dallas. One of the most exciting parts for STAT ... to the Dallas and Forth Worth market. STAT takes pride in treating their employees ...

(Date:12/8/2016)... MS (PRWEB) , ... December 08, 2016 , ... The ... serve commercial and residential clients in and around the Hancock County area, is announcing ... the Hancock County Food Pantry. , The Hancock County Food Pantry has worked for ...

(Date:12/7/2016)... ... December 07, 2016 , ... ... passage of the most comprehensive mental health systems reform legislation in more than ... the President, and the commitment of our elected officials to improving mental health ...